


The Art of War and Love

by Riren_Love



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Adopted Fic, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Angst, Arranged Marriage, Death, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eren Yeager Has Heterochromia Iridum, Eventual Levi Ackerman/Eren Yeager, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Minor Character Death, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Shapeshifting, Violence, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-16 12:34:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28831257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Riren_Love/pseuds/Riren_Love
Summary: Eren Yeager is the next heir to the throne for the Avians, but sadly all he has grown to know is death and war between his people and those people of Serpiente. He will do anything in his power to put an end to this war, even if that means to pretend to be in love with their leader Levi Ackerman.But will this end with death and another war, or will it end with love and peace?
Relationships: Jean Kirstein/Erwin Smith, Levi/Eren Yeager
Comments: 21
Kudos: 48





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Art of War and Love](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4198995) by [Demondog136](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Demondog136/pseuds/Demondog136). 



> I adopted this piece from Demondog136 a few days ago, and I'm working on it with their blessings. If you wish to read the original, go here https://archiveofourown.org/works/4198995/chapters/9485424 
> 
> First, before I start, allow me to make clear that this will not be a full rewrite. I will be changing some things, adding some scenes, maybe changing the roles of some characters, or adding new characters that might not have been there in the original, but the ultimate goal is to continue this story while hopefully not changing much of what had already been written. 
> 
> Hopefully, the original author doesn't mind how I decided to do things.

Things were proving that tonight would be a long, emotionally draining, and painful night and Eren was rightfully on edge. He was filled with the sensation as if his stomach was falling with anxiety, a feeling unpleasant and only working to make him feel even worse. 

Eren stared down at the parchment paper before him with his enchanting mismatched eyes, one golden and the other teal, and sighed. He didn’t feel like doing this right now, but he didn’t have much of a choice. 

"Are you ready?" A guard said, peeking into the tent Eren sat in and stared at him nervously. "We have to leave in a bit."

"Alright," Eren sighed, glancing at the guard with a comforting smile before returning his gaze to the still empty paper. "Just give me a moment."

“Of course,” The guard nodded, saluting hastily then backing out of the tent, almost tripping on his own feet on the way out. 

Eren sighed heavily and closed his eyes for a moment, swallowing heavily. 

He was the child of Carla Yeager, the current queen of the Avians, and the last and the only royal prince and future heir to the Avian throne. 

War raged on and spread death and suffering as it had when it broke out centuries ago, and he was now on his way out to pass through the battlefield he had just been forced to flee by the guards a few mere hours before to head back to the keep.

To head back home. 

There was no saying what would be happening out there, while he wasn’t leaving without a bodyguard, he wasn’t allowed to ever go anywhere without at least one or his mom would have his head, no one knew what would take place once he was on the battlefield, there could always be an ambush waiting for him or even a badly aimed arrow by a soldier on their side, nobody really knew.

And that was why he had to do this. Why he had to sit there with his stomach twisting itself into knots and write a letter. One he would have preferred not to write.

He would have preferred to keep the letter light, he hated talking about the abominable war, but he had to talk about it even if he loathed to do so. The future generations had to know about what was going on, even if they didn’t know why it was going on. 

He took a deep breath and held it in for a moment, trying to steel his nerves for the painful task ahead, before he released it and brought his pen down to the paper. 

_June 2, 814_

_I remember back when I was a chick, how there were many tales and stories telling us of how our kind was started._

_Some stories depicted angry gods creating us, others told of lovers forced apart and us being born as a result, and some tales spoke of magicians who lost their way and dabbled in forbidden magic which resulted in us in the end._

_But there is one story that is my favorite, a tale as old as time, the story of a woman who had left her kind and joined the hawks._

_The story says that the hawks took her in when her own kind wouldn’t, that they taught her the language of the birds and gifted her with beautiful and powerful wings of her own to fly to wherever she wished and whenever she wished, allowing her to live in their midst._

_And due to the kindness of the birds and the bond and friendship between them and the woman, a miracle happened, a bright light shone down from the sky one day and changed both her and the birds in ways no one could have ever imagined, turning the wings they had created for her to allow her to fly real, and giving the hawks a human form and the ability to speak the human language to make conversation between them and the woman easier._

_The woman’s name was Ymir._

_But sadly that is all the stories ever were, stories with no proof that she ever really existed or that ever actually taken place._

_Our scholars have searched high and low for any records that would give us any hints of our origins, of what started us, or where we came from, but nothing had ever been found._

_So all that we have and go by are stories that are told to us by parents and relatives when we are still tiny chicks._

_The only truth behind the stories told is us, with feathers that are located on the back of our heads._

_Even though we appear human-like, we can change forms whenever we feel like it, fly with the sun against our backs, and the wind beneath our wings, to gaze at the horizon from up above, and watch the sun rising and setting from places many could not._

_I'm a hawk, I can take on a beautiful golden hawk form whenever I want to, or I can take on the appearance of a human if I so wish._

_The tales are stories made for the children of my kind, to teach the joys of flying, and love, they are stories of true hardships, and gifts given out of love, stories that hold a hint of truth to us._

_But at the end of the day, they are just stories, even when the children learn these stories and of the joys of flying, they also learn of the hate and war and of the blood and death that we cannot hide from them._

_They learn of the race that calls itself Serpiente._

_The little birds learn how cruel this world can be early on, of how untrustworthy and unfaithful the Serpiente can be. They learn to fear their gazes and the cold hearts of their lost souls. They grow to learn that the Serpientes were their enemy aiming for their death and the ending of their race before they could even leave the nest._

_What is never taught is how or why the war was started. No, the reason why has long since been forgotten. Instead what is taught is the murder of families and loved ones. They learn that these enemies are evil, that they are inhumane monsters, and will kill their kind on sight if they could._

_That is all they learn._

_That is all that I have learned growing up, years of war, and of bloodshed._

_And now I remember songs that were once sung to me when I was a chick, the song’s promise of freedom and peace is all that I have left. It is a peace that my kind might never know, peace my mother might never know, a peace that might never come, but one that I wish would._

_How many generations has it been since this had all started? How many soldiers fallen? And what for?_

_All for hatred: this hatred for a faceless enemy. No one knows why this war continues or why it even started, but it seems like it will continue until the last of our kinds are slaughtered. That it will continue till we have avenged the dead. Until we have completely forgotten what peace might be and all have burned out and turned to ash._

_How much longer do I have till I meet the fate many of my people had before me? Till I’m slain by the blade of the other side? How long do I have still have left to dream of peace?_

_However long it might be, I will spend the remainder of my life striving to end this pointless war and finally achieve peace for my people. That is all that I can do for those who have died over the years during this bloody war, all that I can do for those still alive and who have lost loved ones over the course of it._

_it’s all that I can do for myself and for those whom I hold dear. It’s all that I can do for those who care for me as well._

_And hopefully, my effort will prove fruitful in the end. I refuse to give up, on us, or on them. If that ultimately leads to my death, then so be it._

_Eren Jaeger_

_Heir to the Avian Throne_

Eren set the quill down and lifted the paper up and gave what he had written a final read. Satisfied with what he had written and believing that he had written down everything that he had wanted to, he put the letting away and exited the tent. 

"I’m ready to go now," He said and proceeded to march past the guards that had been there waiting for him and to what he knew would be a death-filled and bloody battlefield, the guards following silently.

Regardless of what ended up happening out there, all he could do was march forward and do the best he could to make sure it doesn’t end up being the worst outcome possible.


	2. Tired of This War

Eren walked through the fields, his shoulders hung down and his heart and soul heavy. He knew that sort of sights he would be met with tonight, and he certainly wasn't excited about it.

He frowned as he forced his legs to move forward. Sooner or later, like it or not, he would find himself on the battlefield once the throne was passed down to him, so he had to be stronger. 

Just because he hated the war and wanted nothing to do with it and for it to end more than anything, it didn't mean that he wouldn't have to participate in it.

The scent of blood and death was permeating the air. The moon was full, bright, and high above their heads, there were no clouds to be seen and the sky littered with stars. He could faintly hear the sound of rustling leaves under all the other sounds, but he ignored it.

If it hadn’t been for the smell of blood, the smoke, the screams, and cries of the injured, the dying, and those left behind, if it hadn’t been for the nauseating scent of burning flesh, hair, feathers, and scales, and the nightmarish sounds accompanying all the death and pain, Eren would have thought that it was a beautiful night. 

But he could see the death, smell it, hear it, and feel it. No full moon, beautiful stars, or clear skies could mask or erase the horror and pain of war from his senses. 

Fire embers glowed behind them as they took in what was before them, and Eren’s breath hitched and anger and despair filled his heart at the sight.

A field of bodies dead or dying lay before them, scattered across the battlefield and dying the grass red with their blood. Some were missing limbs, others were cut in half so cleanly, he would have thought it was surgically done, while some were ripped to pieces like they had ended up under the teeth and claws of a wild animal, he saw a few ripped off and bloodied wings scattered about. Flesh, skin, and sinew were everywhere and he was pretty sure he caught sight of a few bones poking out in ways they shouldn't have been.

Eren gagged, barely able to hold in the contents of his stomach at the horrible sight. He dry heaved, gasping for air, and looked away, his face pale with horror and with tears in the corners of his eyes.

No one deserved to go through anything like that. No one deserved to die like that.

He could hear the shuddering breaths and cries of agony filling what would have otherwise been a quiet night, and he had to hold in the sound of pain and distress that tried to claw its way out of his throat. 

It had been a surprise attack late that evening, no one had been prepared for it. Eren had barely gotten out of the keep with all the fighting that was taking place. 

If it hadn’t been for Jean who was both a guard and a dear friend to him dragging him away, Eren didn’t think would have gotten out of there alive. 

Sadly not every one of his family had made it out that night, his dad had been killed in the scramble while trying to protecting his mate, Eren’s mom. 

Eren now stood in the middle of the field and listened to the cries for help, to the sad cries over lost and dying loved one with Jean standing at his side and ready to take him away at a moment’s notice if needed to. 

It was a cry to the left of them that managed to grab his attention, and he started making his way to the dying soldier he could tell the sound had come from to comfort him through the pain till the god up above would decide to take his soul when Jean’s hand shot out to grab his wrist.

"Eren please, let this one go," Jean pleaded, not wanting Eren to put himself in danger since he was his close friend and the last serving heir to the throne. 

"Jean I can’t, I might not be allowed to fight, but at the very least, let me comfort the dying." Eren pleaded and met Jean’s eyes with equal amounts of determination and sadness. 

It wasn’t that he couldn’t fight, but that he wasn’t allowed to fight since he was the only other one able to sit on the Avian throne other than his mom. If he died, their kind would suffer having no leader. 

If not for that, he would have gladly been out there on that field beside everyone fighting alongside them for peace, but he wasn’t allowed to be. 

Jean sighed knowing right away that he couldn’t win on this matter. "Fine, but if it gets too unsafe, it is my duty to get you out."

Eren smiled at Jean, happy that he was allowing Eren to do what he wished to in this instant instead of just dragging him away by his feathers to safety as he knew some other guards would have done. 

Jean and Eren were childhood friends, with Jean always sticking by Eren’s side and protecting him despite their rivalry and arguments ever since they were kids. That’s why, Eren knew that Jean’s worry for his safety also came from a place of friendship and genuine caring, and not just the worry of a guard afraid of messing up their job and losing whom they are meant to be guarding. 

Eren appreciated Jean’s presence by his side even if he was stubborn and they ended up arguing sometimes because Eren wanted to do something or go somewhere and Jean wouldn’t allow it out of concern for Eren’s safety. 

Though, with Eren being one of Jean's best friends and the last viable heir to the throne, it's not like Eren couldn't understand why or blamed him for it.

As they made their way over to the crying and blood-drenched soldier, red gleaming eyes turned up to face them, fear dancing in their depth. 

Jean grabbed Eren by the wrist and pulled him closer at the sight. "Careful Eren, it’s a cobra, a member of the royal family of the Serpiente." 

But Eren didn’t see that, all he saw was a frightened young man dying for a war that held no meaning anymore.

The Serpiente's eyes are not naturally red, but they change color from whatever the eye color of the particular Serpiente is to red as their feelings fluctuate. Whenever they experience intense emotions, their eyes turn red. It takes quite a Serpiente with self-control and a strong grasp on their emotions to stop that from happening. Eren could tell right away that the young prince before him hadn't yet gotten the chance to learn to do that, and that just pained him even more. 

He was young, too young to be there dying. He was no older than Eren, Eren would say the soldier looked to be about 20 years old. 

Eren pulled away from Jean. "I don’t care!" He hissed at him viciously and quietly as not to scare the dying man. Eren turned to face Jean with a pained expression on his face. "I’m so tired of this stupid war that has no meaning, this war that we can’t seem to do anything about! This stupid war where royals fight and kill each other, causing soldiers to fight more and to die more. And for what? For nothing!" 

With that, Eren turned away and dropped down to the ground next to the dying man, "Shhh, there is nothing to fear, we aren’t here to hurt you." He said taking the soldier’s cold hand into his own. 

Eren didn’t care if the soldier’s blood stained his clothes or not, or that he was for all intents and purposes the enemy, all he thought was about comforting a dying man on this pointless battlefield, this young man that didn’t deserve to die the way he was.

Jean stood behind Eren unmoving since he knew better than to fight him on that. Eren would have fought him tooth and feathers just so he wouldn’t leave another person to die alone.

After all, if Eren had been in that man’s place, he would have wanted someone by his side as he died as well. He wouldn’t have wanted to die alone. 

The young cobra looked up into his eyes as Eren tried not to flinch and look away from his garnet gaze, tears falling down his pale cheeks, "Thank you," He smiled and tried to swallow the lump in his throat, "P-please end it." The soldier stuttered, his voice dry and scratchy. 

Eren felt tears fill his eyes and his heart squeeze painfully as his hand went to his belt where kept a dagger.

As soon as Eren pulled out the dagger, Jean’s hand closed around his. "No, Eren, don’t do it. It might be their way, and it might be merciful, but think of it this way. What would it look like to them if the prince of their enemy took the life of the prince of their lands?"

Hearing that, Eren merely nodded slowly and put his dagger away, retaking the man’s hand. 

He didn’t know how long he sat there by his side, but he sang for him of a promised land filled with peace, with love, and was devoid of war and death. 

It was sometime when the sun came out and touched the sky when his hand went limp in Eren’s, a smile on his face instead of pain. Eren was happy that he could do at least that much for him, to comfort him in his final moment. 

"Jean I’m tired of this war. Tired of the pointless death of soldiers and friends on both sides, I want this to end before I take the throne, but as the death and bloodshed continue, I fear that peace might be just a dream that will never come true." Eren felt tears fall down his cheeks, he could not cry for his own kind anymore, with everyone he knew around him dying, he had long since run out of tears he could cry for them. 

But he will cry for the other side’s, for all the fallen ones around them, and for this young prince who had just passed away with his hand in Eren’s, Eren being the last thing he saw in his final moments rather than dying a peaceful death surrounded by his friends and family. 

Jean wordlessly came up behind Eren and hugged him till his tears dried and there was none left to cry for the moment.

"Come we must head back before your sister and mother start to worry about your absence." Jean guided softly. 

Eren nodded and followed Jean’s lead in changing forms, his into a sparrow and Eren’s into his hawk form, and they flew to their land, not knowing that they were being watched by other Serpientes the whole time they were there.

Hanji and Erwin stepped out from the shadows and watched them fly away, a thoughtful look on their faces. It would seem that they needed to talk to Isabel as soon as they got back. 

This could just be what they needed to end this filthy war. 


	3. When Is There Time For Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dropping this here now. I hope I've been doing the story justice so far with the additions I've made.  
> If you want to talk to me, you can find me on the following blogs  
> https://nephiescommissions.tumblr.com/  
> https://themurderhusbandos.tumblr.com/  
> https://ererifanficprompts.tumblr.com/

They had barely landed and changed back into their human forms when Eren’s sister was in front of them and demanding to know what had happened.

He might say sister, but she wasn’t related to him by blood, not like he minded that, she was still his sister regardless, but if she had been related by blood, she would have been the one to take the throne and not him. 

Unlike him and his family line, she was a raven in her second form and not a hawk, his family took her in since her mother and father were both in charge of the royal flight. So she thought it was her job to pay them back by picking up where her parents left off once they had passed away. 

Eren and Carla had tried to assure her that she didn’t have to do that, but she had been vehement about it and insisted to take on the job. While they didn’t want her feeling like she had to do the job, but if she wanted to do it, they weren’t going to stop her. They knew they would feel much safer with her there anyway as they trusted her to make sure everything would be alright.

The royal flight is like a special division of the hawk's military. Their duty was essentially security. It was their job to make sure that any place the royal family was to go was safe before they go and to make sure that the keep was secure from intruders and those intending harm to the royal family.

They were also tasked with leading any flights that the royal family has to do and to stay by them and keep them safe. That was why when Eren was in the field, Jean was with him. Whenever a member of the royal family was to leave the keep, soldiers and at least one member of the royal flight had to go with them.

And due to their duties being somewhat different from the common soldier, they had some rights and privileges that the common soldier did not possess, not limited to, but including living on the second part of the keep to allow them to be closer to the royal family to better keep them safe. The members of the royal flight also received two extra days off which are done in rotation so that there would always be at least a few at the keep to keep the royal family and their home safe.

“Mikasa, my lovely sister,” Eren smiled sadly, his mind still stuck at the horrible battlefield he had just left. “It’s good to see that you are alright and weren’t harmed in the ambush. ” He spoke softly, his voice filled with relief as he pulled her into a hug. 

Jean next to him tried to escape before she could set her talons into him. But Mikasa didn’t have any of that she grabbed him by his ear, holding him in place, “Where do you think you’re going? I thought I told you that Eren wasn’t allowed to go back into the field anymore this close to him taking the throne.”

Poor Jean, he tried to escape Mikasa, but was caught in the end, “Mikasa!” He yelped, “I, ahh, umm, tried to get him away from the battlefield, but he wouldn’t have it!” He blurted out in the end, ratting Eren out. “But don’t worry I didn’t leave his side!” 

She now turned her gaze back to Eren with her gunmetal eyes narrowed and opened her mouth to verbally rip into him but was interrupted by the door opening. 

“Eren! My dear son! Jean!” A familiar voice called and Eren turned to see the most beautiful and powerful woman make her way into the room, his mother. 

Her teal eyes sparkled and her brunet hair pulled up into an intricate bun, a friendly smile on her face.

If the person meeting her wasn’t from there, they would have thought she was a merchant of some kind with the way she acted and spoke with everyone, but in reality, she was the queen of the Avians. 

People always said that he looked like her, but Eren could never fully see it. He had her brunet hair of course, but his, unlike hers, had a mind of its own, it certainly wasn’t as neat and tameable as hers was. 

While she had two teal eyes, Eren had inherited only one teal eye, the other eye being a golden eye born from his hawk bloodline as a sign of what line he belonged to. 

As a result, Eren had beautiful and magic like mismatched eyes, many people have fallen in love with him and been mesmerized by him because of his eyes over the years.

While his mother was happy and overall kind, she also could be strict if needed and had an air of authority around her, something which Eren didn’t believe he possessed. 

Carla pulled them into a hug, “it is good to see you two back safe and sound.” She breathed in relief before she grabbed his ear just as Mikasa had done to Jean a moment before Carla had walked in. “But you are in so much trouble! You both are! I have told you that you are not to go back into the fields anymore! Not until either the battle had ended or until you’ve ascended to the throne, Eren!” 

“I-I’m sorry mom! But I couldn’t stay away!” Eren squeaked painfully, rubbing his ear as if doing so would ease the pain somehow. “I would’ve done as you said mom, but I can’t, you know I can’t.”

Carla gave him a sad and knowing smile and kissed his cheek.“I know Eren, but as your mother, I can, and do worry about you.” Her smile grew even sadder, “So would have your father.” She gave her head a firm shake as if to rid herself of these thoughts, “but I do need you to stay out of the fields until after you are sworn in as king along with your mate.” She said, “And if being your mother isn’t enough for me to stop you, then as your queen, I will order you to stay.” 

She watched Eren roll his eyes at her and she smiled, knowing she had won that battle. “Speaking of mates, you have chosen one, right?” 

Eren groaned and looked away, not wanting to talk about the matter of finding a mate yet, but Carla wouldn’t have that, 

“Eren Yeager, you need to find yourself a man or a woman!” She huffed and watched as Eren pursed his lips and avoided her gaze. 

Even though he was a man, with being a hawk, men of his can have children regardless of the gender of the person he was to take as a mate, so he could carry the bloodline regardless of whom he ended up choosing either by having his partner bear a child or by bearing one himself. 

“Mother, can we talk about this later? Please?” Eren pleaded exasperatedly, not willing to deal with that subject right then. 

“No, we need to talk about it right now!” Carla demanded vehemently. “I mean your inauguration is right around the corner-” Her words were cut off with a choked noise as she broke into a harsh coughing fit.

“Mom!” Both Mikasa and Eren rushed forward to steady her with matching expressions of concern. 

They were right to be worried, Carla’s body had been failing her lately, the stress of the war, the death of her mate, and Eren’s ascension to the throne taking their toll on her. “Please rest mother! If it makes you feel better, I will take the matter of finding a mate more seriously, but that’s as long as you take your health seriously as well!” Eren said as her coughing subsided some. 

“Alright Eren you win this time,” She said, her voice hoarse as they led her to a seat, “but I’m holding you to it. Finding a mate before your ascension to the throne is important.”

“Of course mother.” Eren replied and leaned down to press a kiss to her cheek, “Now if you can excuse us, we will leave you be to get some rest before we send the doctor up to check on you.” 

They left Carla in the sunroom so that she could relax instead of worry about them. Mikasa went her own way, leaving Jean and Eren with the threat of a beating if she were to catch word of them being on the battlefield again, to which Jean had hastily assured won’t be happening again.

They slowly walked to the market section of the keep to check on things and make sure that there were no trouble makers there. 

The keep was separated into three parts, all accessible via flying or walking up a single staircase. The first part was open to the people, here was where merchants, seasonal traders, storytellers, or magicians could be found. 

The second part is where the guests and the royal flight were housed. People outside of guests and those outside the royal flight are not allowed there without a permit. 

The last part was the royal family’s house which was located at the top of the keep, where the royal flight can keep a close eye on them easily and help in case of emergencies. 

Only the royal family, the royal flight in an emergency situation, and those presented with special entry badges which they are to show to the guards before they approach the royal family’s house are allowed to enter. 

Among the people bearing the badges are the ones that keep the royal family’s house clean, as well as anyone that the royal family trusted enough to give a badge to. Only the royal family can hand out badges.

The day was winding down when Jean and Eren sat down and watched children enjoy stories being told by storytellers before their parents would come after work and call them to head home. 

Sadly some of the children might never see their parents again, it was heartbreaking for him to know that they could not live in a more peaceful world that would allow families to stay together. 

“Eren,” Jean called, seeming to sense Eren’s sadness, “Are you alright?”

“I would be lying if I said I was,” Eren answered with a sigh, Jean opened his mouth to speak but Eren stopped him, “Before you ask if I want to talk about it, I don’t.” Jean shut his mouth, a frown on his face, but nodded anyway. 

It displeased him that he couldn’t help Eren, but he understood that even if Eren had talked, there was always the possibility that he would be able to help anyway as he certainly couldn’t help with or solve every problem, and he also understood that sometimes people didn’t feel like talking about their feelings. 

Eren suddenly stood up, pulling Jean out of his thoughts. “I think I’ll go ahead and turn in, thanks for everything today, Jean.”

Jean jumped to his feet hastily at that.“E-Eren, wait a moment,” He tried, stumbling over his feet. 

But Eren didn’t give him time before he changed forms and flew to his room, knowing that even though he had left Jean there, that he would be right behind him since it was his job to look after Eren and ensure his safety.

Eren sighed heavily as he landed before the doors leading to his bed chambers. As if the war and death weren’t enough, Eren now had to worry about his mother’s health and about finding a mate. 

He could understand why finding a mate was so important, but he didn’t understand why he had to have one before his inauguration, especially during a time like this. 

Regardless of how he felt about it, he had made a promise to his mother, and Eren always made sure he kept his promises whenever he could.

  
  
  



	4. Too Good To be True?

It was as soon as Eren fell asleep that the horrible dreams began. Every night he laid his head to rest, he was revisiting the bloody battlefields in his dreams and hearing all the agony everyone was in. And just like every other time he did, he couldn’t do anything to stop it. 

He could do nothing to end the pain and suffering war wrought on them all. 

That was something that grated at him more than he could ever describe with words. It ate him up inside to see all the death and the suffering that pointless war was wreaking on everyone on both sides. 

The sadness he felt was not only for his kind, but also for the Serpientes who had also lost loved ones over that abominable war, and for any other race that got caught up in it. 

That night’s nightmare was one of the worse ones. He was reliving a day that he wished he could forget with all his being, the day he almost lost his best friend. 

The day he ended up losing his lover because of his own stubbornness. 

Eren had just barely been old enough to start walking those bloody fields, those battlefields filled with death and misery. 

It had been on that particular day that he had been out on the fields longer than he usually was. Jean had stayed behind since Thomas had gone with Eren. 

Thomas was Eren betrothed ever since he was born. It was a custom of the Avians to have a betrothed the moment you were born, something that was carried on even if the people engaged to each other didn’t like it. 

Even when Eren and Thomas were old enough to finally realize what it meant for them to be engaged to each other, they were happy and content as they both had really loved each other and were willing to go along with it and to make it work. 

When they had returned to the keep that day, Eren had run into Mikasa whose face was struck with worry, but for once, Eren could clearly tell that it wasn’t about him being on the battlefield. 

She had asked if Eren had seen Jean anywhere, but Eren could only stare at her in confusion and shake his head in reply. 

She got increasingly paler as told them that Jean’s mate, Marco, an angel if you asked Eren, and his group have not come back yet. 

Mikasa fidgeted with her hands nervously as she had told Eren that Jean had stormed out of the keep to go look for Marco to help him in any way he could if he needed it the moment Mikasa had told him that Marco hadn’t come back yet.

Hearing that, Eren couldn’t help but worry that in his state of mind, Jean might do something reckless. 

Nothing got to Jean and had him act more recklessly than the possibility of Eren and Marco being in danger.

Knowing that Jean was out there, Eren couldn’t stay there. He had to follow Jean and make sure he and his mate were okay. 

Thomas had tried to hold Eren back from leaving, saying that it was a bad time to go out there and search fruitlessly, especially since the battlefield was big and they didn’t even know where to start looking.

But Eren would have none of that, not with his friend somewhere out there on the battlefield. Seeing that he couldn’t stop Eren from leaving, Thomas had sighed exasperatedly and decided to follow Eren out into the field even though he knew, especially because he knew, just how dangerous it was out there. 

They had left the keep right away with barely any preparation and circled the fields for what seemed like hours, searching for them with increased desperation until they finally saw them. 

Jean was covering Marco’s body with his own when Eren and Thomas had landed a few yards away and listened to Jean's sobbing and telling Marco that it was all going to be okay, even though he could no longer hear him. 

Eren swept down and landed not far away from them then took a cautious step towards the two. "Jean," He had called out to him and froze when Jean had looked up at him. 

What Eren saw in Jean’s eyes was something he had never wanted to see there. There were clear signs of heartbreak, hatred, and pain in his eyes, and Eren’s heart ached for him.

"This damn fucking war has taken too much. I-I can’t take it anymore," Jean sniffled, his teeth ground harshly as he removed the knife from Marco’s lifeless body, his eyes shining with anger. "I swear I’m going to kill every last one of the snakes, or at least die trying." 

Jean took a shuddering breath and stood up, taking a couple of steps towards the still ongoing battle, his eyes filled with hatred and pain, more than willing to give his life up just to take revenge for his mate. 

Call Eren selfish or naive, but he couldn’t let that happen, and he hugged Jean from behind, holding him in place, tears streaming down his face as he did. "Jean, don’t! You can’t let hatred and pain cloud your judgment!" Eren could feel Jean trembling beneath his grip, not able, and probably not wanting to let his anger go, the wound too fresh for him to even consider doing that.

"Please, Jean! Marco wouldn’t want this," He reminded desperately. "He would want you to live, and find peace one day." Eren tried to reason with him, his voice breaking with the strain of the emotional ride. 

It might not be as much as it was for Jean, but Marco’s death hurt Eren too. While he had met Marco through Jean, Marco was also one of Eren’s dear friends.

Jean’s chest heaved and his grip on the knife loosened and seeing that Eren took a step back away from him. 

It was in these few seconds that they had let their guards down that everything went wrong, thanks to all the commotion they had caused, it led to a few serpents noticing them. 

And at the moment they had all relaxed, the serpents had made their move. In those few seconds, it took for Eren to step away from Jean, and for Jean to relax his grip on his weapon, the snake jumped out of the shadows poised to kill. 

It was at that moment that Thomas threw himself in front of Eren and Jean, protecting them from the snake. 

Eren and Jean watched as a knife was plunged into his abdomen and fangs were sunk into his neck to quickly insert their deadly venom into his body and kill him quickly. 

The viper quickly let go of Thomas, letting him crumble to the ground like a doll that had its strings severed, blood splashing onto Eren and Jean when the snake pulled the knife out of Thomas’s abdomen with an evil grin on its face. 

Eren stood there in shock at what had just transpired. He could tell that was shaking him, yelling at him, telling him to get out of there. 

But he couldn’t, he was captured by the sinister and hate-filled blue eyes of the snake in front of them. 

As the snake turned to try to rush at and kill them, Eren still didn't know what came over him that day, but he took the knife he always had hidden in his boot, and ignoring Jean’s yelling at him, he rushed the snake head-on. 

The snake froze for a moment in surprise, not sure how to handle the sudden change in behavior, nor having expected it. Eren quickly took advantage of that, plunging his knife into the snake’s chest. 

Unlike snakes which had venom in their teeth and nails, his kind applied poison to their blades to make quick work of the creatures, to give them a fighting chance against the Serpientes. 

Eren stood there for a long moment and watched the lights fade from the snake’s eyes. Suddenly he was hit by sharp pain and Eren looked down to see that the bastard had used its last strength to push his knife into Eren’s side. 

Eren had staggered backward and into Jean's arms, barely hearing him yelling at Eren and pleading with him to say something, but Eren could no longer listen as his eyelids grew heavy and his mind foggy. 

Eren closed his eyes, vaguely thinking about how that was probably the last time he would ever have them open again before his thoughts faded away, leaving only darkness behind.

* * *

Eren startled awake, his skin drenched in a cold sweat and a silent scream stuck in his throat as the images he had just been subjected to in his nightmare were fresh in his mind like it all had taken place just yesterday. 

Back then, after he had blacked out, Jean had lifted his unconscious body and flown back with him to the keep. 

Eren had ended up staying unconscious for two days before he had woken up, but he had heard every detail of what had happened after he had passed out from being stabbed by the snake from Mikasa since Jean had refused to talk about what had happened that day. 

She said that when they had shown back up at the keep, every guard had risen in an uproar after they had seen his still body and all the blood Jean was covered with, and they were more than ready to march out and to avenge him. 

It was the keep’s doctors that saved Eren that day, and with their hard work, Eren was able to wake up, but of course, it had left a nasty scar on his body that would forever serve as a reminder of the day he lost his mate and a friend. 

There was a knock on the door, and without waiting for a reply, Jean popped his head in. "Eren I-" He stopped mid-sentence as he saw tears swimming in Eren’s eyes. 

He didn’t even bother asking what was wrong, in two long strides he was beside Eren’s bed holding him close. "Which one was it this time?" Jean murmured softly, running his fingers through Eren’s messy hair. He knew of Eren’s nightmares and after so long, knew how to comfort him after them, especially after a particularly painful one.

Eren sat there quietly listening to the flutter of Jean’s heart, glad that it was still beating strongly, telling him that he was alive, that even after all that, he at least still had his best friend by his side. 

Jean sat there, rocking them and humming a soft tune, the tune to a song that Carla used to sing to Eren when he was still a chick. 

They stayed like that for some time before Eren could finally find the strength to talk, and even then, only a mumble was able to break through the tangle of emotions warring inside of him. "It was a nightmare of the first year in the fields for me, back when you had just joined the royal flight." Jean tensed and let out a painful sigh, knowing all too well of what Eren was talking about.

"Eren," Jean started softly, placing two fingers underneath Eren’s chin guiding him to look up and meet his gaze. "There is nothing to worry about anymore, what happened has happened, and there is nothing more we can do about it. Please don’t agonize over it anymore." 

Jean bent down and placed a soothing kiss on Eren’s forehead, and Eren couldn’t help but smile as Jean flashed a smile at him. "And I think the two would be happy to see us alive and content. To see that we have moved on." He reminded Eren.

With that Jean sighed and stood up and looked down on Eren, his smile vanishing to be replaced with a frown. "This isn’t the time to be discussing the past or the future though, your mother has summoned you to the interrogation room. Last night we had a little visitor." 

Eren shot up quickly, thinking the worst, fearing that the said visitor might have done something to Mikasa since it wasn’t mentioned that she would be attending. 

Jean saw Eren’s reaction and was quick to relieve his worry, "No, nothing has happened to Mikasa, she won’t be present during this interrogation," 

Eren frowned at that news, not understanding why she wouldn’t be there as she was always present for any interrogations done, so Jean continued on, "She won’t be there because of the visitor we have," At Eren's confused look, he sighed and elaborated. "The visitor we've caught ourselves is a little cobra."  
  
Eren’s eyes widened in shock and he gasped unintentionally, taking a step back. "But how?" He questioned, the whole thing not making sense to him. "There are only two possible heirs to the throne left, you would think they would stay off the fields so as to not risk dying out there and leaving the throne empty."

Jean nodded, "That is what I thought too, but no." He stood now at full attention, "This cobra has willingly turned herself in, and wants to make a treaty with us. She says she and the rest of her family are ready to end this war without any more death." 

Hearing that, Eren’s breath caught in his throat. A way to end this war without any more bloodshed? That sounds too good to be true.

Feeling hazy with both hope and wariness, Eren looked away. "Well Jean, allow me to put on an appropriate attire suitable for this meeting with the princess. Let’s see what type of deal these snakes want to make." He said as he approached his closet with Jean right on his heel.

Eren’s heart beat heavily in his chest like thousands of birds dancing in his ribcage and his fingers shook. A treaty… A way to finally put an end to the horrible war that has taken the lives of many over the centuries. 

He only hoped that this wasn’t just some cheap trick and that the snake really came to them with peace in mind. This could just be the turning point they all needed to finally achieve the peace he had been dreaming of, told tales about, and sung songs of to ever since he was a chick.


	5. Too Sweet of a Deal?

Eren and Jean made their way to the interrogation room, their quick footfall echoing through the halls all the while Jean filled him in on the events that had unfolded that night after Eren had retired to his room. 

It was well into the evening and dusk had already fallen when the cobra arrived at their doors, it was then that the guards detained her and searched her for weapons. 

Once they had become sure that she wasn’t armed, they had taken her to a holding cell to wait while they informed Carla that they now had a cobra in the keep. 

Of course, his mother had taken action immediately and went straight to work to find out why the young cobra was there. 

Eren was tempted to bring out his wings and fly in his impatience, but he held himself back. This was one of those times where he had to act calmly regardless of how he really felt.

Thankfully he didn’t have to do that as they arrived at the door leading to the interrogation room before he had to really begin contemplating getting his wings out.

Eren and Jean made their entry into the small room containing the cobra, about 10 guards, and his mother, the queen. Five guards stood around his mother, and the other five around the young snake. 

Everyone stood at attention, tense with anticipation and worry, waiting to see what move the young cobra seated on one end of the room would make, if any, and what she had to say.

As much as they wished for peace, most of them were wary and borderline hopeless when it came to that, the war going on for so long and draining them of any hope that it could ever come to an end.

But it wasn’t entirely hopeless, some still had that spark of hope no matter how small, and those in the room thankfully happened to be ones of those that hadn’t entirely lost hope yet, so Eren didn’t have to worry about any of them acting rashly and trying to off the cobra before she even got to talk.

“Good morning, mother,” Eren said with a small bow to her. “I heard that we apparently had an interesting night last night.”

Carla nodded before she walked up to Eren and pulled him into a quick hug, “Eren, it's good to see that you have joined us here this morning,” She murmured into his hair, before letting him go, her shoulders and voice carried a tension that he easily caught on even though he was sure that she had tried to hide it. “Yes we had quite a night last night with this little ruffian,” She pointed to the cobra before going on. “Slithering in uninvited, but otherwise, we had quite the relaxing night.” 

Eren turned his attention to the young woman sitting in a chair in the middle of the room. She had fiery short red hair tied into pigtails, and a fierce look upon her face, yet there was an odd softness to her look and she sat calmly waiting for something, her gaze stuck to the floor.

As if knowing that Eren was looking at her, she looked up, and they locked eyes; her eyes were a gorgeous green color, emotions flickered in the depth of her eyes ranging from anger to excitement to fear, and something else he couldn’t place his fingers on when her eyes landed on him, and he watched her eyes turn red with the change of her emotions. 

A smile lit up the cobra’s face and wonder played behind her beautiful green eyes, “You must be prince Eren,” She chirped. “I must say, what they say about your eyes are true, one teal and one golden eye… They are truly beautiful!” The young cobra exclaimed, staring straight at him. 

Jean noticed right away how uncomfortable Eren was beginning to get at being scrutinized and took a small step in front of him to block the young princess’s gaze. 

“Oh I’m sorry, that was rude of me to stare at someone else’s mate! My big brother always warned me about that, but I can’t seem to remember it.” She said as she now cast her gaze downwards. 

Eren’s face paled as if the blood had fled his cheeks and he seemed to choke on his spit, making a face once he had succeeded in clearing his throat. 

He noticed Jean make an identical face to his from the corner of his eyes, his face just as pale. 

“No, you have it wrong,” Eren huffed, taking a calming breath before he went on. “He is just a guard,” He explained to her. “Not that I owe you any explanations.” He said, his voice and expression growing slightly darker at the mention of mates and the rush of horrible memories the word brought with it.  
  
The young princess just smiles at the both of them. 

“Now let’s get down to business shall we,” Eren said so that they could get that over with as soon as possible since he was already scared shitless by being in the presence of a snake, a cobra no less, even though he was doing a pretty good job of hiding his fear.

“Ohh yes!” The cobra agreed. “Now let me first introduce myself, I am Princess Isabel Magnolia-Ackerman, second in line for the throne, right after my big brother, Levi Ackerman.” 

Everyone in the room tensed at the Serpiente King’s name. Everyone had heard the stories of the mysterious king, and how he fought like shadows, never seen till it was too late, much like the snake that he was, waiting for his moments to strike down unexpecting victims. 

Isabel paid no mind to them or to the change in the atmosphere and continued on speaking, “We are the last of the cobra line, after us, there is no one to lead our kingdom. That is why I have come to you asking for peace. My big brother would have come himself, but I refused to let him go, knowing that if he set foot on your land he would be dead.” She took a breath to calm herself as tears crept into her eyes.

“We know that we are asking a lot of you since the war has taken a lot of loved ones away from you as it did to us as well, but we are tired of this damn war. We want it to end, but not with blood.” Her gaze traveled up to Eren’s mom and then to him, her gaze begging them.

“We have arranged with the tigers in the mountains for us to meet and have a discussion about ending the war once and for all, and they have agreed to help us in any way they can. All we ask is that you give this a chance, all you have to do is give us a date on when you want to meet, and send me back so I can relay that information to my brother. All that we ask in return is for you to bring yourselves and three guards, as we are doing the same, and meet us there.” 

She finished her small speech looking at them with hope and fear of what they might say and how they might react.

Carla sighed thoughtfully. “Young one, give me a moment to discuss this with my son and see what he thinks of this matter,” Carla said, and without waiting for Isabel to say anything, she walked out of the room, Eren following right after her. 

They let the door close behind them, sealing ten trained guards and one cobra behind it, so they could talk about what they just heard and what was just offered to them. 

“Eren, look at me,” Carla commanded gently yet firmly.

Eren brought his eyes up to meet hers, they were swimming through deep emotions themselves; ranging from anger and sadness to barely any hope for what was offered. 

“This is a lot, I mean more than anything that has been said between our kinds, and they are offering peace. Peace between two kingdoms that have known nothing about loss and war between them for centuries, and I do not know how I feel about this plan. Is this some kind of trick to take us to the tiger’s land and finish us off, or is this the real deal? Is it real that the king of the snakes wants us to have peace between our two lands?” 

Eren studied his mom for a moment, she was really hoping that this isn’t some trap for them and that it really might happen. Yet at the same time, she felt the loss of her family, the loss of her mate, and the possibility of losing her son and her own life just to pursue some hope for peace between the two lands which might end up being a lie in the end. 

Eren took everything in and tried to look at the offer from every angle he could think of and tried to figure out what they could lose and what they could gain by taking it. 

But in the end, despite how much he tried, all that he could really think about was his and his kind’s hope for peace and their wish for the war to end.

He looked back at his mom after a long moment of contemplation. “Mom, I think this a good chance to have some faith,” Eren said, taking his mother’s hands in his. “Go with them to the tiger’s land, see how this might go. I mean their land in neutral between ours and they would be stupid to try to start anything there,” He reminded thoughtfully. “So I say go ahead and agree on a date with the young cobra and give both of our races a chance at peace, something that we deserve and have been dreaming of for a long time. Something that should have happened a long time ago.” 

Hearing his words, Carla smiled at him with tears glistening in her eyes, proud of the faith and hope he carried that this war might finally come to an end.

* * *

They told the young cobra that they accepted the offer and gave her till the next full moon to meet them there. Which was in two weeks’ time, for them if she made it back tonight there wasn’t a lot of time for them to organize anything. She was more than happy with that and didn’t argue with us. We offered her some food and water before she left for the long trip home, and I all the while felt tense yet relaxed knowing that this might be our only hope for peace. 

All that was hours ago, and now Eren was once again sitting in the middle of the market listening to the local gossip, and children happily running about, not knowing what might just be around the corner for them. 

Not knowing that if Eren and his party didn’t die when they went to attend the meeting with the Serpientes, there might be a chance for these young kids to grow up without the fear of dying themselves. 

That is if everything Isabel had told them was true and nothing was to go wrong. 

“Eren,” Jean said, pulling Eren from his thoughts, his brows furrowed together as he studied Eren, concern written on his face. 

Eren forced a smile onto his face, “What is it horse face? Nothing happened for you to be making such a long face at me for.” he joked, bumping into Jean lightly.

Jean wouldn’t have it but didn’t make another comment either, knowing that Eren would tell him later what was bothering him. 

As the day came to an end, the merchants packed up their stands and children returned home, yet Eren sat there deep in thought of what the future might hold for everyone. Needless to say, he was excited yet scared of how things might go.

He would have to handle the situation with extra care, he couldn’t be his usual brash and angry self and go in half-cocked the way he usually did in most situations.

If Isabel’s promise of peace talk was real, he would have to be careful, patient, and calm if he wanted the meeting to go well. 

And he would do everything in his power to make the peace talk a success, for his people and for theirs. 


	6. This is a Matter of Discussion

The two weeks they had to wait before the meeting date arrived seemed to fly by fast, with all the running around they had to do to make sure of who was attending the meeting and what they had to take to the meeting place was a real hassle. 

Carla had been told to stay behind to look after the keep and rest, and while she had tried to fight that, the combination of his, as well as Mikasa’s begging her to stay and look out for her health, won out in the end and they were able to convince her to stay home. 

In the end, it was decided that only Jean, Mikasa, Armin, and Eren would be heading out to the tiger’s territory and meeting with the snakes. 

And with the preparations to go done, they left late that night. 

It took a few hours before they reached their destination up in the mountains where the tigers called home.

When Eren was called away to settle some of their soldiers down, it was a small group wanting to attack the snakes afraid of what they might be planning while Eren was gone. He met the squad leader of that particular group, a good friend of his that was trying to keep them calm, Sasha Blouse.

“Hey Sasha, good to see you,” Eren greeted as soon as he changed back into his human form and watched as some of the soldiers stared at him in awe while others stood back and shook like a leaf at what was to come.

“EREN!” Sasha screeched, the young sparrow almost pushing him to the ground if he hadn’t stepped to the side and barely managed to avoid her at the last second.

“Sasha,” Eren sighed but smiled down at her, “What have I told you about that?”

“Sorry Eren,” She smiled sweetly, “I will try and not to do that again. No promises though.”

Eren took his attention away from Sasha and directed it to the soldiers that were watching the exchange, some of which were relaxed, others of which were tense, a few flinched under his watchful eye, while others avoided it altogether.

“I have heard that a few of you are trying to fight, without proper orders from my family or your leader is that true?” Eren questioned, his eyes borrowed.

One of the braver ones took a step forward out of the line and looked straight at Eren without hesitation, “Sir, we believe that this might be a trick that they have come up with to endanger you and the people, so we have taken it upon ourselves to.” He paused a moment looking for the proper word, “terminate that possibility.”

Eren frowned at the young soldier, sad that they had to think that way, always believing that a situation is bad and going to cause harm and not consider it with hope and open hearts.

“That is something that might happen, but I want to give them a chance.” Eren looked at each soldier as he spoke, “Of course this all could be a trap and might the last day I have with you all, but I’m taking a chance on this so that you and my people will not have to live in fear every day that a snake might take you or a loved one’s life. I’m hoping that this would prove to be a chance for the young children to run about without any fear, a chance where there might be peace for once in our lives.” 

Eren looked at the soldiers again, and he felt a weight lift off his shoulders when he saw a few had smiles on their faces even though others frowned at what he was saying. “As it stands the orders are not to attack, and if I found out that you have disobeyed this order, there will be consequences, do I make myself clear?” Eren met the eyes of each and every one of them, making sure that his words got to them. 

Hearing no complaints, he turned to look at Sasha. “Everything from here on is yours, and have fun with them.”

She grinned and saluted at him. “Yes sir!” 

With that taken care of, at least for now, Eren turned his attention to contemplate what the day really held for him as he left for the mountains to meet his mortal enemies.

* * *

It had taken hours of flying to the mountains, not leaving them any time to really talk about what was going to happen once they got there. 

As soon as they had landed, they were met at the top by a tigress that was supposed to lead them to the meeting area. 

After making their way through the tall grass, they came across a stone structure of sorts, with a lot of tigers lounging around it and watching them intently. 

The tigers watched them enter the sanctuary, but didn’t follow in. The Inside of the sanctuary was dimly lit by the sun coming in from the outside and few torches hung on the walls here and there. 

They were led down the hall which opened up into a grand area that led to a large gathering of tigers. 

Eren's eyes landed on the second group there. First, he saw Isabell, and a guy with sandy blond hair and gray eyes, standing next to her. 

Next, he saw a woman with strawberry blond hair, and a sort of strained smile on her face, watching their group intently as if waiting to strike. 

Eren then looked at the next person in their small group and he was a tall built man, blond hair, and some large looking eyebrows, his eyes a pale blue. He almost looked like Armin in a strange way. 

Then his eyes landed on a guy, he was on the short side about 5 foot 3 inches, his black hair in an undercut, a style that suited him quite well, leaning against the wall one leg bent and resting against the wall. 

He was wearing black pants that seemed to shimmer in the light, telling Eren that it had come from the skin of his own kind, and he was wearing a tight black shirt showing just how toned his muscles were. 

As if knowing that Eren was looking at him, his eyes flicked open, his steel-gray and sharp eyes caught Eren’s gaze and Eren felt as if he was ensnared. 

His brows knitted together and eyes flashed garnet and Eren knew who he was right away. 

He was Levi Ackerman, king of the Serpiente, and as he flicked his gaze up and down Eren’s body, taking a quick scan of it, Eren felt the heat build-up in his face and knew right away that he had turned red.

They were trying to get along with that? 

Jean caught on to what was happening fast and stepped between them, earning a scowl from Levi, Mikasa also noticed what was happening and sent a glare in the snake's direction. 

They made their way to their seats, Jean and Mikasa flanking Eren on either side keeping a close eye on Levi, making sure he wouldn’t try anything else like that. 

They were barely seated for a few moments when a few whispers started circulating among the tigers that were allowed to stay for the negotiations as witnesses as to what might happen when the leader of the clan and her mate made their way in front of everyone. 

She held her hand up to silence the people of her own court and pulled the attention of Eren and his followers to her instead of the snakes that sat next to them. 

“I’m Historia,” The short blond tigress introduced before she pointed to her taller brown haired mate. “And she is Ymir.” 

“Today we welcome the two royal houses of the Avians, and the Serpientes, they have come to us to help them seek peace, in a war that had torn its way through both houses.” Historia paused looking back at Ymir as if to seek advice as to what to do next before she turned back to them. 

“I need the leader of the Serpiente to step forward.” Historia looked at the cluster of snakes.

Levi stood and made his way to stand in front of the tigress. He had a deadpan look on his face, “I am the king of the Serpiente, Levi Ackerman,” He said, his monotone voice carried through the whole hall.

“Have you taken a mate?” Historia inquired patiently.

“No, how can I take a mate with this fucking war going on. If they were to carry my name or my child it would be like signing their death warrant.” Levi answered with venom injected in his voice at the thought of putting someone through that.

Historia nodded at the statement and looked next to Eren’s small group. “And I need the leader of the Avian to step forward.”

Armin stood up his blue eyes wide with fear at the snake that looked at him, “I-I’m sorry to inform you, but our queen had to stay behind due to sickness. In her place, she sent her son.”

Historia’s lips pulled into a thin line. “When will he take the throne?”

“His next birthday,” Armin said with a bit more confidence in his voice. 

Hearing that, Historia nodded, letting it pass. 

It was usually considered an insult for a side to send a stand-in for a peace negotiation meeting as it usually meant that they weren’t serious about it, at least not enough to come themselves, but considering that the queen was sick and that the throne was almost Eren’s anyway, they could let it pass this once.

Eren stood up and made his way up to the stage. “I am the stand-in leader for the Avians, Eren Yeager,” Eren said, happy that his voice stayed calm the whole time even though it felt as if his heart was ready to beat out of his chest any moment.

“Eren have you taken a mate?” Historia asked him the same question she had asked Levi moments before.

Eren looked at her sadly, “No, the person who was going to be my mate was murdered on the field while defending me,” 

Hearing that, Historia’s eyes softened just a bit, but she quickly pulled herself together. 

Historia took a step to the side, allowing Ymir to take over for a bit, “Eren and Levi are the chosen leaders for both houses,” She looked at both groups, “we are here to make peace and to mend the rift between two people and houses, is that correct?”

“Yes,” Eren answered, at the same time Levi.

“The question is why have you come to us for help in mending the two?” The tigress asked her mate, taking a step to the side to allow her to speak.

Eren opened his mouth to speak, but Levi beat him to it. 

“Even though the houses want peace, and are trying to achieve it, the soldiers want nothing more than to continue this unnecessary blood bath. Even among my own personal squad,” Levi turned and looked at the strawberry blond-haired woman and narrowed his gaze at her.

Eren easily noticed that she was the woman he noticed earlier and who had looked like she was ready to strike at any second.

“There is strong doubt as to how much we can trust the other side, and among my own people there is a question as to why I would work so hard for peace when there might not ever be any.” 

Eren listened to his words and knew that Levi felt the same as him, ready to end this war at any cost, and wishing for peace for himself and his people. 

Historia turned to Eren and nodded to indicate that it was his turn to speak. 

Eren took a deep breath to steady his nerves. “These past two weeks have been rough for me and my people. It has taken a great deal to ensure to my soldiers that the peace negotiation was going to happen, and to make sure they wouldn’t go off on their own for vengeance against them.” Eren pointed out with a sigh. “They are hoping that the peace negotiations might bear fruit, but not much can assure them that the Ackerman’s and their family wouldn’t do any harm to us. I’m afraid that I don’t have much power over them at the moment, I'm not sure I could stop them if they were to decide to pick up their weapons and attack on their own.” 

Historia sighed and looked at her mate, the two stayed like that for a while, a long look sharing what they thought on what should be said, and what should be done. 

It was Ymir that finally continued on with the discussion between Eren and Levi.

“You are saying that your people are doubting your word, as well as the trust on either side.” Ymir said paraphrasing what Eren and Levi had just said. “you are the two leaders of the houses, and if you set an example on what is to be done, your people should follow. The real question for you two is what are you willing to give for peace?” 

As soon as he said that Eren’s thoughts swarmed with the cries and the deaths and the suffering he had witnessed on the battlefield, to kneeling next to dying children and singing to them to lessen their pain while watching the lights fade from their eyes.

Eren thought of Jean and how he had almost died countless times for him. He thought of Thomas and how he threw his life away for him. He thought of the young Cobra as he watched in fear as Eren came closer, worried that he would fall victim to Eren’s blade instead of one of his own.

Eren answered without an ounce of doubt in his mind, “Anything.” He said, willing to give up anything to ensure that he would not have to hold another dying hand.

A breath later Levi answered, “Everything.”

Historia and Ymir shared a look once again before turning their gazes back to them. “When there is as big a gap as there is between your two people, it is best to start in the center of it all. Before you start on the ends.” 

Eren looked at Levi to see if he was getting where what Ymir and Krista were saying was going or if he was just as clueless as Eren was, 

The look on his face said that he had a thought on where that was going, and going by the frown on his face, it was clear he didn’t like it one bit.

“Levi, you said you would give everything, and Eren, you said you would give anything to see that this war comes to an end. You came to us seeking advice on how you could end this war without any bloodshed and we give you this,” Ymir paused before she went on. “To ensure that your people will stop the fighting, the two royals must join together, it has to start with you two.”

Historia picked up where Ymir had left off. “Since neither one of you have a mate, you two should take each other to ensure that peace starts in your lands.” 

Eren’s eyes widened at what they were suggesting, that Levi and Eren become mates to each other.  
  
Jean was the first to make his feelings on the matter known along with the strawberry blond protest woman whose feelings flew like poison off her tongue.

Mikasa followed shortly after to make her displeasure with the suggestion known, while Armin and the tall blond who was apparently named Erwin analyzed if this really was the best solution to end the war. 

Levi also voiced his opinion on the matter colorfully, curses flying from his mouth a mile a minute, if Eren hadn’t been so shocked, he would have been impressed.

But he stood silently and watched it all unfold, unsure how to process the information that the two tiger mates had just given them.

Historia raised her hand once more to silence the room and drag everyone’s attention to her. “If you think that your people are to get along while the main two houses fight, you two are not willing to put enough on the line,” She said before going silent to let the words she had just said sink in. “Let everything that was said here today sink in, you are more than welcome to stay a night in one of the free rooms-“ 

Levi’s voice interrupted, “Wait, please-“

“Dismissed all of you!” Ymir commanded, her voice echoing throughout the sanctuary.

With that, they were escorted out from the sanctuary rather quickly and shown to the rooms that are theirs that night, without another word for the two mates nor anymore protests from the snakes. 

As Eren laid down in his temporary bed for the night after he had cleaned up, he mulled over everything that had happened that night from the tensity of everyone in the sanctuary to the advice Historia and Ymir had given them.

Was that really how things were going to be? Was that really the best option for them? Was it as Ymir and Historia had said? Was the only way for both sides to finally achieve their long dreamt of peace really for Eren and Levi to become mates?

Eren sighed heavily and turned around, pressing his face into the pillow and ignoring his dripping wet hair. 

He was so tired, the road to the tiger’s territory had been long and exhausting, and now having heard what he had, he was more than just drained, his brain feeling fuzzy and heavy from all the stress and thinking that he had to do the past few days. 

With a long yawn, he tried to force himself to stop thinking, magically managing to do so and falling asleep for the night.


	7. Late night discussions

Even though they were all exhausted from the previous day’s events, they all sat in Eren’s room late into the night discussing what was said in the sanctuary the previous day. 

They were going at it since they had woken up that morning, barely stopping to go eat and then returning to Eren’s temporary room just to argue all over again.

Jean and Mikasa of course were against everything that was said and was more than happy to fly back down to the keep and forget that it had ever happened and continue on with the war.

“Eren, let’s go back home,” Jean huffed, his expression a mix between anger and annoyance.

“Yes, let’s leave,” Mikasa agreed with Jean, something that didn’t happen very often. “They are not worthy of you, let’s just go home then kill them all.”

Eren on the other hand thought of doing exactly what was suggested, he was more than ready for the damn war to be over, even if that meant mating with someone who he might never love. 

And so he looked at both Jean and Mikasa in disgust. Even if they were against the marriage, he didn’t think they would hate it enough to be willing to continue with the blasted war that had already taken so many. 

Eren would take an arranged marriage for peace over war any day.

It was not like his engagement with Thomas had started out of love even if they had both ended up having feelings for each other in the end. 

That had been an arranged marriage too. What made an arranged marriage with Thomas more worth it than with Levi? At least an arranged marriage with Levi would end a war that had been going on for centuries, while an arranged marriage with Thomas only meant that he had a mate from a good family.

Even though Eren liked Thomas in the end, an arranged marriage with Levi was clearly more advantageous, it would end the damn war that had tormented both sides for centuries.

Armin, their little ambassador, and Eren’s other childhood friend had looked at Eren sadly and said that from his perspective, Ymir’s and Historia's suggestion looked like the best solution to ending the war no matter how he looked at it.

It was well into the night and after much arguing with no progress made during their discussion, especially on the front of Jean and Mikasa trying to convince Eren to forget what Ymir and Historia had said and just go back home and continue the war, that everyone went to their own rooms at the end just after Eren had borderline kicked them out of his room, done with their shit and with no real plan for what was to happen the next day.

It seemed that Eren had just fallen asleep when he felt someone near him and he jumped out of his temporary bed, a call for the guards ready on his tongue while worry occupied his mind.

The snakes were smart enough not to try to kill him there. Right?

His senses were heightened and his heart racing at the thought of someone being in his chambers, temporary as they were, then he saw a flash of red sitting on the ground. 

Levi.

“Hello, brat, nice to see you awake.” He simply stated as if that was a normal occurrence in his life. He stood quickly, his movements smooth like water sliding over rocks, “I came here to talk, nice and simple, no ulterior motives from me.” 

Eren had his back against the wall, ready to flee at a moment’s notice, his heart feeling as if it was about to beat its way out of his chest at being in proximity with a snake, and the king of them all no less.

“W-Why did you have to come to my private chambers?” Eren silently cursed at himself for allowing himself to stutter. 

Levi cocked his head to one side and studied him before he took a few measured and quiet steps to the middle of the room and gracefully sat back down. “Calm down brat, I am not going to bite, so you have nothing to worry about from this snake.”

Eren snorted at that statement, “Yes, hearing that is _so_ helpful with calming my nerves,” He said without a thought, and when he realized that he had just said that out loud, he blushed, feelings as if he had made matters worse when Levi looked at him with an eyebrow raised. “S-sorry,” Eren mumbled before he shook his head quickly to pull himself together. “Now the real question, what are you doing here? Really?”

Levi relaxed a little more and crossed his legs, and gestured with his hand for Eren to take a seat near him. “I just came to talk with you. With how everything went yesterday, and with how fast we were thrown out, which will most likely happen tomorrow as well, I thought maybe we should have a little discussion.”

“Talk?” Eren asked with furrowed eyebrows. What did they really need to talk about that couldn’t just be said in the sanctuary? “About what?”

“About this war, about peace, about you brat,” Levi replied in his monotone voice.

“Me?” Eren answered, feeling his brows furrow even further.

“What is this, ‘repeat everything I say’ day? Yes, you, since you and that blond mushroom seem to be the only reasonable ones in the group and certainly the only ones who seemed to have the brain cells to and decided to look at everything from every angle. It’s mostly about what those damn tigers are asking us to do. I would like to know what I might be getting into.”

“And what do you think you are getting into?” Eren asked dryly, not happy with the way Levi had worded his sentence, feeling as if Levi thought he was an idiot or a toy and not a person.

That thought made Eren mad. It was shitty that Levi was trying to create peace between the two people, but treated Eren like he wasn’t even a person.

“I still think you are a shitty brat, and one that will piss me off to no end,” Levi said honestly. “It is a horrible idea that was suggested, and if it wasn’t for Eyebrows, I would have been gone tonight and peace would have been a distant dream for both sides once again.” He admitted, his gaze never leaving Eren. “Thanks to Erwin and his brain, he pointed out that this was our only chance to create peace between our people without our deaths, and while I hate when he’s right, I know when he’s right.” He said with a sigh escaping his lips. 

Eren sat there with no words able to express how he felt about everything that Levi had just said, though he was leaning towards terror and anger with the snake before him.

Eren wanted to hit Levi for calling Eren a brat, but he knew that he would most likely die if he was to even try to do that. 

Eren felt Levi’s eyes on him once again, and he continued on with speaking. 

“In all honesty,” He said, his eyes flickering down Eren’s body again, “If I was going in for the looks alone, I would have agreed without a second thought, you’re quite handsome. But of course, that isn’t all to a person. I have to take with it your opinions, and thoughts on ways to rule together, and of course, I have to take on the responsibility of your people as well as you have to take on the responsibility of mine. This is something that I have been thinking about and considering for years, and I still haven’t scratched the surface of anything yet.”

Levi had been thinking and considering that for years? What did he mean by that?

“I thought I once knew how you thought,” Levi continued as if he hadn’t confused Eren enough already. “That you were just another young blind brat in the world not knowing what was happening beyond his room, but then I heard that you held my cousin’s hand while he was dying, singing to him so he could forget his pain and pass on peacefully. I heard you stayed with him till the very end and that you were the last person he saw before he joined whatever gods above. It made me think that you might know at least a little of the horrible things that had happened during this prolonged and horrible war that neither of us caused but had to continue.” 

Eren jumped back in surprise when he saw Levi raise his hand towards him. 

He noticed what he was doing and pulled his hand back to his body but he couldn’t help but be mad that Eren had jumped back. “Damnit,” Levi hissed at Eren, his eyes flashing red. “I am not going to hurt you!”

Eren stood up out of instinct to get out of the way of the raging anger of the snake, “Well excuse me for not being able to trust you because your kind has killed many of my people.”

“I wouldn’t hurt you, if I wanted you dead you would have faced that long ago,” Levi said bluntly, his anger receding and he sighed. “I don’t think you know how easy it is to slip past your guards in the middle of the night, especially since no one in that keep of yours happens to look up,” He pointed out with a mocking smirk. “With your heartbeat no different from a bird’s, our poison wouldn’t take more than a minute for it to take effect. 30 seconds to paralyze you, and another minute for the poison to reach your brain to finish the job.” His eyes flashed red once again, daring Eren to speak against his words. “But for you, I wouldn’t do that, that’s the death of a soldier. For you, I would have taken your pillow, the one that you keep on that chest by your bed, that pillow that you hug to sleep, and smothered you with it while you slept.”

Eren was in shock when he said that. How in the world did he know that Eren had a pillow that he liked to hug while he slept? How in the world did he know that Eren had a chest in his room by his bed and which he liked to keep his pillow on when not using it? 

It took Eren a few tries to finally get his words to work for him, but all he could come up with was a shocked squeak of; “W-What?!” 

Eren was in shock that Levi knew all that stuff that he shouldn’t have known. Stuff that he could only have known if he had seen Eren’s room. 

Levi once again took a seat on the pillows on the floor. “You know the one, the pillow with the two blue and white wings embroidered onto it, which is really nice looking pillow, the person who made that knew wh-“

Eren didn’t let him continue. “Who told you about it?!” He demanded, wanting to know how he knew that information.

Levi raised his eyebrow as if Eren was too stupid to realize something, “Are you talking about the silk pillow or the mahogany chest that it sits on. Or the wool blanket you use in the winter when the temperatures drop and the air gets colder?”

“H-How?” Eren's eyes widened in fear, his heart rate picking up. He backed himself away from the man in front of him.

“I have been there of course,” Levi admitted. “I was there to kill you in hopes that it might bring peace to those cursed lands of ours, and that I would finally stop losing my family, but when I stumbled into your room that night with murder in my eyes, I stopped. I saw that a knife of my own people had marked you and that you might not survive through the night.” 

  
Eren’s eyes widened, realizing that Levi was talking about the day when Eren had lost Thomas.

“Why didn’t you kill me then?” Eren asked his voice heavy with many emotions.

“It was then that I realized how stupid this war was, and it wasn’t something neither one of us could stop alone, not with our deaths.” He said, his eyes saddened at the thought. “It was then that I decided that I will bring peace between our two kinds. It's about time this war comes to an end.” He got up suddenly and was near Eren in an instant. 

“Promise me Eren,” Levi said, cupping Eren’s cheek and staring directly into Eren’s eyes. “Promise me that tomorrow you will be at the meeting and give it all much thought as I do.” 

Eren nodded, hypnotized by Levi’s close proximity that he didn’t notice till the last second that Levi’s had pressed his lips to his cheek. 

Levi’s lips were soft and cool against Eren’s cheek, but since Eren wasn’t expecting the sudden action, He couldn’t hold back the surprised sound that slipped past his lips. 

Levi froze at the sudden sound, and Eren’s eyes widened when his door was suddenly flung open, revealing Jean and Mikasa. 

Levi was prepared to fight to get out of the room filled with angry birds, but Eren stepped in front of him to block him from Jean and Mikasa’s rage.

“Eren, move out of the way of this snake!” Mikasa demanded, stomping her way into Eren’s room.

“Mikasa, no, he means no harm, go back to your room and let him be!” Eren retorted. “He was here only to talk, nothing else.” 

Mikasa growled at Eren, not wanting to back down, but did so knowing that with the snake behind him, Eren was in more danger than if Levi walked out of his room without having to fight. 

Levi offered Eren his arm so that Eren could make sure that he could leave without being ambushed on his way out of Eren’s room, and of course, Eren accepted to show that he was willing to come to terms with the idea of peace between himself and Levi. 

When they were about to pass by Jean, Levi had to shoulder his way past just to get by him, and just to edge him on more, Levi pulled Eren down again and pecked him on the lips. 

It was a kiss as light as a snowflake and hardly left Eren time to react to the act before Jean growled and took a step forward as if to fight Levi, but Levi only smirked and walked away before anything could be done.

“Eren.” Mikasa's cold tone made it known she was not happy with what just took place. “I am dragging you back to home this instant! You had a fucking snake in your room without calling for help! You could have died!”

“Mikasa, nothing happened to me,” Eren tried to assure. “He was only here to talk to me about the meeting that’s going to take place tomorrow, nothing more,” Eren huffed, his voice showing his irritation. “Please go back to your room and sleep for tomorrow so we can continue with what was left off on what was said yesterday,” Eren said faking a yawn.

“No Eren we are leaving-” Mikasa started, only to be cut off.

“No, I’m not leaving!” Eren argued. 

Mikasa walked up to Eren, anger in her eyes and sharpening them like knives. “No, I’m taking no arguments from you-” 

“No! Don’t you understand? We need this Mikasa-” He tried to say, but she cut him off.

“Mom would say the same thing as me if she knew that there was a snake in your room!” She yelled in the end, silencing him before she turned to Jean who was standing off to the side and out of the way lest he was met with her wrath. “Jean wake Armin now, we’re leaving, and if we have to drag Eren back by his feathers to go home, then we will.” She said before she stormed her way out of Eren’s room and to her own temporary chambers to gather the few things she brought with her.

That night, to Eren’s displeasure and struggling in vain, they left underneath the veil of darkness. 

Eren threw a fit, trying to stay to keep his promise with Levi, but he couldn’t escape his fate and Mikasa’s strong grip.

He really hoped Levi would not blame him for what was happening. Eren really wished he could have stayed and talked with Levi a little more. 

Especially now that there were peace talk and the possibility of a marriage between him and Levi, he needed to start making the effort to get to know him more if peace for both of their people was to ever happen.


End file.
